1) The most prominent artist called Zao is an American metalcore band. They came onto the Christian hardcore scene in 1993 in Parkersburg, West Virginia, and as of 2006 they are based in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. They have now gone on record to say that they no longer consider themselves a 'christian band', but rather a band of Christians, in the line of Johnny Cash or U2. This is partly due to some conflicts with the Christian establishment, with the singer's home church condemning the band as music only the devil could make. Zao is currently signed with Ferret Records. They were previously signed to Solid State Records.

Zao will be releasing their 10th album Awake ? on May 5th with Ferret Records. Awake contains ten new previously unreleased songs and a re-recording of Romance of a Southern Spirit. Scott Mellinger, Daniel Castleman and Tim Lambesis of As I Lay Dying co-produced the album.

Zao is also infamously known for being a band, much like Napalm Death, of which none of the original band members remain in the lineup. Jesse Smith was the longest running band member, serving as the drummer from the original incarnation of Zao through 2003. He quit Zao before the recording of "The Funeral of God" and formed a band named Gods who have recently disbanded. It's only after the demise of the original lineup in 1997 (with Jesse keeping the band going at that point) that Zao recorded their first landmark release, "Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest". This was followed by "Liberate Te Ex Inferis (Save Yourself From Hell)" in 1999. Many fans consider that time period the heyday of Zao, with common opinion being that those two albums were the strongest and purest Zao releases. The following two albums, 2001's "(Self-Titled)" and 2002's "Parade of Chaos", featured a groundbreaking fusion of metalcore with subtle electronica/ambient experiments courtesy of Jesse Smith. The evolution of Zao's sound throughout their career did have a lot of influence on the metalcore scene and that is why Zao are generally seen, not only as veterans, but also as pioneers of the actual genre.

Other notable characteristics of Zao include one of the most melodramatic existences within the scene, with almost countless temporary breakups in addition to the aforementioned constant lineup changes. Dan Weyandt, vocalist from 1998 to the present, produces one of the most respected and envied growls of any band in the scene, and sometimes-guitarist Russ Cogdell (who recently picked up guitar duties for Zao yet again) was infamous for live performances during which he would hurl his tall, thin frame four or five feet into the air and come down on his knees, a live tradition which led to his absence from the band for several years while he underwent extensive knee surgery.

2) The original ZAO was a French zeuhl band, an early Magma offshoot. If one regards MAGMA as the central trunk of the Zeuhl tree, ZAO would be equivalent to an early side branch very close to the stock. ZAO's music, at least at the beginning of their career, is therefore an extension of MAGMA's first era, with a light music, at times weird, with hints of jazz, contemporaneous music, Hungarian folk (Yochk'o Seffer is a native of Hungary) and obviously of Zeuhl. Nothing in common with the absolute incantatory power of "MDK" and "Kohntarkhosz" to which Yochk'o Seffer and François Cahen didn't want to contribute.

In the first album, "Z=7L" (1973), the very complex melodic instrumental layers are enriched with the wonderful voice of Mauricia Platon (with its kobaïan accents), but unfortunately she was missing on the follow-up "Osiris" released in 1975.

ZAO will break from its Zeuhl roots and the music will lean towards some jazz-rock fusion more and more debatable and debated.

"Shekina" (1975) augmented by the presence of a string quartet and "Kawana" (1976) remain respectable albums of the French jazz-rock fusion scene but "Typhareth" (1976) recorded just after Yochk'o Seffer left the band is of little interest. ZAO will then split but the members will gather anew in 1994 with the release of "Akhenaton" (once more jazz-fusion inflected), the album that saw the band reform but without any follow-up. It seems that the band planned to reform this year (2004) with the return of Yochk'o Seffer. To be continued? Moreover, we can note that ZAO's bassist, Joël Dugrenot, will join for a short while the French symphonic progressive band Clearlight.

Among the solo albums, let's consider Yochk'o Seffer's "Ghilgoul" (1979), strange atmospheres, dissonant music and the presence of Zeuhl in some tracks.

3) Zao is also Casimir Zoba, a Congolese humorist who sings mostly in French. Zao stands for Zero-Admis-Omnipresent and his music is sweet and slinky, a perfect compliment to his husky, intimate voice.